Duster



May 30, 1933. R ROOT 1,911,927

DUSTER Filed Oct. 24, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l y 30, 33- R. R. ROOT 1,911,927

DUSTER Filed Oct. 24, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 foolproof, and not likely to get out. of order.

Patented May 30, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RALPH R. ROOT, OF LAKEWOOD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO 'THE ROOT MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO DUSTER Application filed October 24, 1930. Serial No. 490,967. 7

This invention'relates to clusters, and more particularly to devices of this character adapted to be carried over a field for .distributing insecticides and the like.

Dusters heretofore employed for this purpose have been unsatisfactory in that they have permitted leakage of the dust. The nature of the dustis such that it is uncomfortable, annoying, and injurious to the operator. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a duster in which the leakage is reduced to the extent of substantial elimination.

In dusting small plants, forward delivery is essential in order that the operator may see to direct the dust to the individual plants,

but when the plants are. larger and more dense, it is desirable to distribute a larger cloud, and for this purpose a rearward delivery is preferred, in order that the operator may not breathe the dust. It is therefore a further object of the invention to adapt the cluster for either forward or rearward delivery.

Various dusts for different purposes should be applied at definite rates of weight per acre. It is therefore another object of the invention to provide a device of this character which is accurately adjustable over a wide range to adapt the same for different rates and different weights, butwhich, when adjusted, will maintain the given rate substantially constant. p I

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character in which the drive mechanism is detachable as a unit,

Further objects are to simplify and improve the construction and operation of devices of this character, to render thesame economical to manufacture, substantially vOther objects and features of novelty will -be apparent as the following description proceeds, reference being had tothe ing drawings in which V Figure 1 is a side elevation of a duster according to the preferred embodiment'of the present invention; r

Fig. 2 is a plan of the structure shown in Fig. 1; c

accompany- Fig. 3is a partial front elevation;

Fig. 4 is a partial vertical section taken provided with latching means indicated generally at 12, for securing the cover 11 in position. Thebottom of thehopperis constituted by a semi-spherical stamping 13 which may be integralwith the upper portion, or secured thereto as by crimping 14. The bot-tom of the portion 13 is provided with a centrally apertured boss 15 which serves as a'bearing for an agitator shaft 16. The shaft 16 is polygonal intermediate its ends as at 17, and a plurality of sheet metal blades 19 are secured together in such a manner as to form a polygonal hub 20 which receivesthe shaft 17. .The blades 19 are preferably of circular contour so as to just clear the inside of the semi-spherical portion 13.

For supporting the upper end ofthe shaft 17, a substantially triangular plate 21 is provided, portions of which are crimped around radially extending rods 22. The plate 21.

has a central aperture through which projects a hollow cylindrical bearing member 23, having an external shoulder .24 which engages the plate 21. The reduced portion of the member 23 is threaded as at 25, to receive a cap 27 which carries a plug 28 slidable in the bore of the member 23 and provided with a conical end 29 which is adapted to engage the inner ends of the rods 22 and cam the same outwardly so as to fit in a circular groove 30 formed in the hopper 10. This arrangement permits the entire upper bearing member to be assembled outside of the hopper, and to be mounted therein by merely turning the cap 27 gethe'r.

gage the shaft 17, and the upper base 34' 0f which is provided with a circular aperture to receive the' -rounded end of the shaft. The circular rack 32 meshes with a lantern wheel 35 carried by a shaft 36 which is'rotatable in a tube 37 projecting through the hopper 10. A sheet metal bracket '38 issecured at one end to the inside of the casing and at the other end to the inner end of the tube 37. i

A flared sheet metal outlet member-40 is secured to the semi-spherical portion 13, which is cut away as at 41 to permit communication therebetween. The member 40 is provided with a depressed portion 42 to enclose and provide clearance about the lower end 16 of the shaft 17.

Associated with the hopper 10 is a fan casing 45. provided with a cover 46. The casing 45 is a cylindrical cup-shaped memher having a similar cup-shaped portion .47 formed therein. A plate 26 separates the portion 47 from the fan chamber so as to form a mixing chamber, and this plate is notched to permit passage of dust and air therethrough. The portion 47 engages a flange 48formed on the outlet member 40 .and is secured thereto as by machine screws 49. The face 50 of the portion 47 forms a partition between thehopper and the fan casing. The partition is provided with a dust aperture'51which is spaced from, but concentric with respect to, a central aperture 52throughwhich passes a fan shaft 54 carrying a'fan55. The fan 55 comprises a pluralitv of sheet metal blades secured together to fo rm a hub "56 which isfastened to 'the shaft 54 by a set-screw 57.

Secured to the cover 46 is a gear casing 58 comprising two halves formed .of sheet metal and crimped or otherwise secured to- The shaft'54 passes througlrregistered. apertures in the cover 46 and casing '58 and terminates in an anti-friction bearing 60; A pinion 61 .is keyed to the shaft 54 and is driven through intermediate reduction gearing 62 with a ratio of 62.2 to 1, from a crive gear 63 keyed on a 'drive shaft *64 ournaled in the gear casing 58. The shaft 64.n1ay be driven by any desired source of I power, a hand 'crank65 being shown for this purpose, and-the gear ratio may be modified as desired.

As shownin Fig. Q'theshaft 64 projects through the gear casing 58, and a length of coiled spring 66 forms a flexible drive connection between the shaft 64. and the shaft 36 for driving the agitator in the hopper.

a valve therefor. As shown in Fig.5, the

slot 73 has a narrow arcuate portion 74 and a wider arcuate portion 75. The plate 72 ismounted on the side ofthe partition 50 toward the-hopper 10. The end of the tube 7 0 inside the partition 50 is formed into a cup 59 containing a fiber washer 53 forming a bearing for the shaft 54 and a felt washer 43 whichpreventsxpassage of dust to the bearing washer 53. An arm 77 is rigidly secured to the tube 7 Oxby means of, a-cover member 44 which is pressed over'the'cup '59, which completes the casing for the-washers 43 and 53. Thearm 77 extends upwardly through one of a plurality of'inlet apertures" 76 formed in the wall 47 ofthe mixing chamber, and forms anfindicator which cooperates with a graduated scale 78 secured to the periphery of the fan casing 45.

The shaft 54 terminates inside the'outlet" 40 clear of the agitator blades 19. Threaded onthe inner end of'the shaft 54 is a cap member 79, which has a cylindrical portion 80 adapted to overlie the end of the tube 70.

The cylindrical portion 80 becomes packed with dust, which is retained therein by centrifugal force due to rotation thereof, and prevents more dust from entering between thetube '70 and "the shaft 54. The portion 80carries a whipper Ell-which disrupts the dust in the annular channel swept.through this member. The outer-portion of the cap'7 9 is providedwith a paddle 82 which is adapted to urge dust toward the whipper'81 andthe aperture 51. A look screw'83 serves to; secure thecap 79 on the shaft 54.

It should be noted that the device as described maybe readily disassembled for overhaul by merely removing'the screws 49 and disconnecting the flexible drive connection- '66, so that the'driving parts may be entirely removed from the hopper. A-hook 83 and a ring 86 are adapted to receive a strap or the like for sup'porting'the duster from the body of the operator.

.The casing 45 is adaptedfor multi'pletangentialdelivery of-the dust and forthis purpose the casing is cut away to provide an outlet aperture, and an outlet member 85,

constructed of'sheet metal, is-secured to the casing'so as to register with theoutlet aperture, and to extend tangentially forward from the casing 45. -A similar outlet aperture, preferably diametrically opposite, is

provided with a similar outlet -member'87' which extends tangentially rearward from the casing 45. A discharge tube 88 is adapted to be connectedto either of the outlet members'85 and 87, and acap 89 is provided for closing the other outlet member. EInTthis' livery, because it effects an economy of power.

When there is a single tangential delivery, the fan is operating agalnst air frlctlon resistance at all other parts of the casing periphery, and the power thus dissipated isutilized for projecting dust, when further tangential outlets are provided.

In operation, the latching mechanism 12 may be unlatched and the cover 11 opened so that a supply of dust may be inserted into the hopper 10. The arm 7 7 will then be adjusted so that the indicator corresponds to the graduation of the scale 78 which is prescribed as giving the proper aperture for the type of dust being distributed, and the best use for which the dust is being employed. The crank 65 will then be rotated to drive the shaft 64: through the flexible driving connection 66 and shaft 36 and drive the shaft 17 and thus rotate the agitator blades 19 at a lower speed, such as substantially one-fourth of the speed of the shaft 64. This operation will prevent caking or packing of the dust in the hopper 10 and insure that the dust will pass through the aperture 41 through the outlet 40.

The rotation of the shaft 64 as described above will drive the gear 61 from the gear 63 through the gearing 62 and thus rotate the shaft 54 at a greatly increased speed. The whipper 82 being carried by the shaft 54 will urge the dust from the hopper aperture 41 outwardly through the outlet 40 in the direction of the dust aperture 51 in the partition 50. The fan 55 will also be rotated at the same speed and will draw air in through the apertures 7 6. The dust will pass through the slot 7 3 into the chamber 47 where it is mixed with the air and passes in a cloud through the fan and out through one or more of the outlets 85 or 87, depending upon whether multiple or forward or rearward delivery is selected.

While one embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described in such detail as to enable any one skilled in the art to practice the invention, nevertheless it will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to any of the details disclosed, other than as necessitated by the development of the prior art; but, instead, the invention embraces such embodiments of the broad idea as fall within the scope of the appended claims, it being obvious that various substitutions, modifications and other changes may be made with respect to the disclosed embodiment without departing from the spirit of the invention. I Having thus described my invention, I claim:

{1. In a duster, a hopper, an agitator in said hopper, anaperture in said hopper, a unit detachably connected to said hopper adjacent said aperture comprising a casing, a fan in said casing, drive mechanism carried by said casing for driving said fan, and a detachable driving connection from said drive mechanism to said agitator.

2. In a duster, a hopper, an agitator in said hopper, a fan casing attached to saidhopper, a fan in said casing having a shaft extending into said hopper, a shaft projecting laterally from said hopper for driving said agitator, a common drive shaft spaced from said fan shaft, means for driving said fan shaft from said common drive shaft, and a flexible detachable connection between said common drive shaft and said agitator driving shaft.

8. In a duster, a hopper, an agitator in said hopper, a fan casing attached to said hopper, a fan in said casing, a drive casing attached to said fan casing, a drive shaft j ournaled in said drive casing, means in said drive casing for driving said fan from said drive shaft, and means outside of said casing for driving said agitator from said drive shaft.

4. In a duster, a partition having an aperture therein, means for supplying dust to one side of said partition, a shaft passing through said partition, a .plate rotatable about said shaft and engaging the dust compartment side of said partition, a slot in said plate to cooperate with said aperture, and means for rotating said plate about said shaft to vary the area defined by registering portions of said slot and aperture.

5. In a duster, a hopper having an outlet a fan casing connected to said outlet, a fan in said casing having a shaft extending into said outlet, and a whipper carried by said shaft in said outlet.

6. In a duster, a hopper having an outlet,

a fan casing connected to said outlet, a partition between said outlet and said fan casing and having an aperture therein, a fan in said casing having a shaft extending through said partition, a plate rotatable about said shaft on the hopper side of said partition and having an arcuate slot therein with portions of stepped widths to cooperate with said aperture, an arm on the fan side of said partition for moving said plate to vary the area defined by registering portions of said slot and aperture, and a graduated scale on the outside of said fan casing to cooperate with said arm for indicating values proportional to said area.

7 In a duster, a hopper, a central shaft in- 'said hopper and having an end. bearing in the wall thereof, .and a bearing member for the opposite end of said shaft, rods arranged radially of; said bearing-member for 1 supporting the same from said Wall, means in said wwall t receive the'outer ends ofsaid rods,

and means carried by said bearing memer -;and engaging the inner ends-ofsaid rods for v:cammingthe outer ends into said receiving means.

In testimony whereof, I'hereunto i a'iiiX my RALPH R. R001.

signature. 

